Telangana issue rocks Lok Sabha, BJP blames Congress (Lead)

New Delhi, March 27 (IANS) The demand for a separate Telangana state rocked the Lok Sabha for the second day Tuesday, paralysing house proceedings as the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) blamed the Congress for inaction on the statehood issue.

Talking to reporters in the Parliament House complex, BJP spokesperson Shahnawaz Hussain said the ruling party was becoming an “obstacle” in formation of Telangana state.

“The BJP is in favour of creation of Telangana but the ruling party does not want it,” Hussain said.

The demand for separate Telangana paralysed proceedings in the Lok Sabha for the second day with agitating members of the TRS, TDP and Congress marching to the speaker’s chair to press for immediate statehood.

Members of the Telugu Desam Party (TDP), Telangana Rashtra Samiti (TRS), and also Congress members belonging to the region stood up demanding a separate state.

The lower house was adjourned twice, losing the crucial question hour, and later at 12 noon being adjourned till 2 p.m.

Hussain said Congress was to be blamed for the disruption adding “we wanted to raise many important issues in the House during the budget discussion. Question hour was also disrupted by ruling party members”.

“Opposition leader Sushma Swaraj said… we want discussion but ruling party members are not allowing it. When it is related to budget discussion it is the Congress’ responsibility to control their members who are creating obstacles in the house.”

He also said that it is the government’s responsibility to bring proposals for Telangana state and BJP will fully support it.

Earlier, as soon as the lower house convened at 11 a.m., MPs from the Congress, the Telugu Desam Party (TDP) and the Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) shouted slogans of “Jai Telangana”, urging Speaker Meira Kumar to adjourn the house and let the government answer what it was doing for creation of a separate Telangana state.

The protesting MPs waved copies of newspapers reporting incidents of suicides in the region by at least two people over the issue.

The MPs alleged that the central government was insensitive towards their demand which had driven people to end their lives. “People are dying and nobody cares,” TRS MP Vijaya Shanthi told IANS later.

As the din continued, the speaker adjourned the house till 12 noon. When the house reassembled, protests began again and she was forced to adjourn it till 2 p.m.

The issue was raised in the house amid a daylong shutdown in the region following a call given by the TRS.

An MBA student had committed suicide in Warangal town Saturday while a daily wage earner also set himself on fire in Wanaparthy town of Mahabubnagar district Monday. But he escaped with injuries.